What Might Have Been

Chapters

Chapter 1: Friendly Rivals
Chapter 2: Possibilities
Chapter 3: Change
Chapter 4: Something to Remember
Chapter 6: Now and Forever
Chapter 7: Good News
Chapter 8: Happiness
Chapter 5: The Best Day

Chapter 1: Friendly Rivals

Chapter 1: Friendly Rivals

By: SleeplessScribe

A lot can change in a few years. To be honest, most wouldn’t believe that the captain of the Wonderbolts used to lead a life not too dissimilar from their own. However, something that everypony will believe is that I was never alone. Neither of us really let on how long we’d known each other, and the guessing games that ensued were hilarious.

I would talk about all that he is to me, but that would kinda ruin the purpose of the story. So please, join me by the fireplace, and I’ll blow away the clouds of confusion.

Four Years Old

Cloudsdale was a big city, but it was also busy, especially for my parents. My mother was in charge of cloud production at the city’s biggest factory, and my father was the head recruiter for the Wonderbolts. Unfortunately, this led to many days where I would only get to see them early in the morning and late at night. But there was a bright side:

Sunbeam Daycare.

There never seemed to be any shortage of snacks and fun in that wonderful place. The best part was that it wasn’t too far from home either, so my parents actually managed to make time to take me there. I had only been going there for about a week, but I already loved it.

I tried to exercise. My goal was to be as great of a flyer as my dad, but that wasn’t going to happen when I couldn’t even lift myself off the ground. Once I got the hang of it, I made a habit out of using building blocks to make little obstacle courses for myself.

One particular day, I decided to make the walls higher than normal. I couldn't make them as wide as normal, but it didn't matter; as long as I could get over them, it would be a success.

However, as I was setting up the last wall, I heard pair of wings furiously flapping behind me. I turned to find a colt that was strikingly similar to me in appearance, save for the fact that his mane was spiked and his coat was orange. Actually, the only similarity was our two tone manes and tails that looked like fire, and even then there were still differences, like how his “flames” were red and yellow, while mine were just two varying shades of orange. I kind of just sat there and watched him flutter over each wall with relative ease, and once he was done, I couldn’t help but clap a little.

He grinned and turned to me, bowing like a stage performer. “Thank you! Thank you! That was kinda hard!”

I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him. “Really? That was hard? I’ll show you how it’s done!”

You know, I really wish I hadn’t said that. I was now obligated to do better than he did or risk making a huge fool of myself. Gulping down a lump in my throat, I made my way in front of the first wall and flapped my wings as hard as I could. As soon as I was airborne, I fluttered my way over each wall, barely landing behind the last one.

“Eh… eight out of ten.”

I raised a brow at him, though I couldn’t help but grin as well. “Oh yeah? And what was your score?”

He stood up proudly and held one hoof to his chest. “A ten out of ten, of course!” He then paused and stared at me for a moment. “Uh… maybe a nine and a half.”

It only took a moment before both of us were laughing. When we had finally calmed down, he gave a big smile and reached his hoof out to me. “My name’s Nova Dash. What’s yours?”

With a smile of my own, I took his hoof and gave it a small shake, just like my parents taught me. “Spitfire.”

“I have a feeling we’re going to be really good friends.”

Well, that didn’t take any time at all. I soon found not only a friend, but a rival in Nova. Every day we would get together and do things, most of them involving us getting better at flying. We hung out for two years and had a lot of fun. I remember one day that pretty much sealed our fates.

Six Years Old

Nova and I had been friends for two years now, and we kind of made a tradition of sitting together at snack time and trading what we had. On this particular day, all the kids, including us, were excited about a surprise field trip that the caretakers had planned.

As we munched on crackers and sipped from juice boxes, Auntie Sunbeam came through the doors with the biggest smile anyone could imagine. She was always beaming, but something about the greying mare seemed a little different today.

“I have wonderful news, sweeties! After a long talk and some payment, all of us are going to see today’s Wonderbolt race!”

Everyone shouted for joy, but there was no doubt in my mind that Nova and I drowned out all the others. “Oh man, how awesome is that? We get to see the Wonderbolts!” Nova looked out the nearby window, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wonder if my dad will be there….”

My ears perked up and my gaze snapped to him. “Wait, did you just say your dad?”

He slowly nodded as he turned back. “Yeah. My dad’s a pretty well-known racer.”

I thought about it for a moment. His name rang a faint bell when I first met him, but even now I couldn’t actually place it. “What’s your dad’s name?”

“Thunder Dash.”

“No way! Thunder Dash is your dad?”

Again, he nodded, but this time he was wearing a much prouder expression. “Yep!”

A sly grin crossed my muzzle as I poked Nova’s chest. “Did you know my dad is the head recruiter? He basically runs the whole Wonderbolt Training Academy.”

His eyes widened as he formed his own grin. “No!”

“Yes!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“That’s awesome!”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Auntie Sunbeam was somepony I didn’t want to speak over. “Alright, little ones, remember our buddy system. Find your buddy, then find a chaperone. We’ll be leaving in fifteen minutes!”

Immediately, Nova put one foreleg around my shoulders and pulled me to him. “I got my buddy!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I pushed him away before he could get any closer. “I don’t do hugs with colts. That’s something only grown-ups do.”

He rolled his eyes and started to laugh. “What? We’re friends, right? All friends hug!”

“No thanks. It’s just… weird to hug a colt.”

Nova furrowed his brows, his mouth becoming a thin, straight line across his muzzle. “What’s wrong with that? I hug my little sister all the time.”

In an attempt to get away from the subject, I stood up and started looking around for an adult. I guess Nova caught on, and he took a hold of my hoof and nudged his head towards the door. “Why don’t we go with Auntie Sunbeam? That’s sure to be fun.”

My ears perked up as I nodded, trotting over towards the door she had gone through. “That does sound fun! Auntie Sunbeam’s always a lot of fun, so let’s go!”

We trotted down the hall and towards the front door, where the others were already loading into the large cart that we had. The four caretakers—Auntie Sunbeam excluded— had strapped themselves to the front so they could fly us there. Nova and I approached the old mare and tugged at her apron until she turned to us.

“Well, hello there Spitfire! Let me guess; you and Nova want me to be your guide?”

He nodded before I could get the words out. “Yes, please! Is that okay with you?”

She closed her eyes and flashed a bright grin, opening the door of the cart for us. “Of course! Now hop in, we don’t want to be late!”

We both hopped in quickly, and it wasn’t long before we were off. I didn’t know why Auntie Sunbeam was so worried about being late. The Cloudiseum wasn’t actually that far away, and pretty much all of the ladies who worked here were decently fast flyers. Once we found a decent place to leave the carts, our caretakers escorted us to our seats just in time for the opening ceremony.

You should have seen all the neat tricks the Wonderbolts were pulling off just to warm up! Barrel rolls, knife edges, and some were doing really big tricks I didn’t even know the name of! Nova and I were cheering and screaming the whole way through, and we only got louder when the race got ready to start. Unfortunately, it didn’t look like Nova’s dad was there this time, but it was still amazing regardless. Watching them zoom around was getting my own adrenaline pumping, and I didn’t even care who won.

At the speed they were going, the race would be over in no time, and I found myself wishing that the Cloudiseum was bigger so it would take them longer to finish laps. Unfortunately, they were too fast for the race to last longer than… I’d say thirty minutes. It was still great to be there and watch, but of course, I was sad that it ended so soon.

I was still hyped, even as we got back in the cart. “Woo! Man, that was so cool! I can’t wait to watch another one!”

Nova nudged my shoulder, a sly grin on his face. “Cool? No, that was totally awesome! One day, I’m gonna be a Wonderbolt, too. No! I’m gonna be the captain of the Wonderbolts.”

I blew a raspberry. “Ha! There’s no way you could get in the Wonderbolts! You probably couldn’t even be a weather pony! Sure, your dad may be a Wonderbolt, but that’s not gonna help. Besides, I’m gonna be the captain!”

His sly grin remained on his face, but his brows angled down as he got up in my face. “Well then, it looks like we’re going to be competing.”

I matched his expression. To be honest, I was actually looking forward to having someone to compete with. “Friendly rivals?”

“Friendly rivals.”

Chapter 2: Possibilities

What Might Have Been

Chapter 2: Possibilities

By: SleeplessScribe

That was that. Nova and I, while we were still good friends, were always finding things with which to compete. We’d compete for who could eat the fastest, who could eat the most, who could hold their breath longest, who could jump highest, who could fly fastest, who could fly highest, and so many other things.

Time flew by, and all too soon we had become too old for Sunbeam Daycare. That’s when our parents enrolled us in Junior Speedsters Flight Camp. Whenever Nova wasn’t pushing bullies off his sister’s back or in a class that I wasn’t also in, we were together, and it was great.

Nine Years Old

Junior Speedsters was awesome! For the most part, everyone was nice, I learned a lot, and most importantly, I had Nova in most of my classes. Granted, for the actual school-like classes, we only had two where we were seated close to each other, but it was still great. However, I should have known having such a close friend who also happened to be a colt would come with… drawbacks.

Nova wasn’t at lunch today because he had a doctor’s appointment, so a few of my other friends were chattering about him when I came over. Of course, Nimbus was the most outspoken, and she never seemed to have a problem saying things most ponies would have kept to themselves.

She batted an eyelash as I sat down, flashing me a smug grin. “So Spitfire, when are you gonna tell us about Nova?”

I waited until I was done sipping juice to even acknowledge her. “What’s there to tell? We’re friends.”

Every day, I looked to the dainty, pink-haired pegasus in the hopes that she might say something, but she never did. As Dive Bomb, the filly between her and Nimbus, spoke, I made a mental note to at least ask her name.

“No, you can’t just be friends! You’re crushing on him hardcore, we can tell!”

I just rolled my eyes. “Mom told me there’s nothing wrong with a filly and a colt being friends. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to stop talking to him just because you think it’s a problem.”

“Bah! Hey, what do you think, kid?” Dive started nudging the shy girl beside her, but all she did was look away and scoot her seat back some. Honestly, I didn’t really understand why she sat with us.

“Hey, she’s not a part of this, leave her out of it.” Dive turned back to me with a smirk mirroring Nimbus’.

“What’s wrong, don’t want her spilling your little secret?”

I have to admit, I was getting just a tad frustrated now. “You know, I’d understand if I were blushing and fumbling over my words, but I’m not! Nova and I are just friends, and there’s nothing wrong with that! Why are you two even pushing this so much?”

“We think he likes you….” All heads turned in the direction the whisper came from. That small pony was looking up at us with her chin practically on the table, one eye hidden behind her long mane. “He talks about you like you’re really special.”

We all sat there in silence as we processed what just happened. Not only did the quietest filly in the entire camp just speak, but she also revealed something apparently so well hidden that it never got back to me.

“Wait, since when? I never heard anything about this.”

Nimbus groaned and nudged my shoulder. “Sorry for pushing you, but yeah, that’s why. We’re just trying to hook you two up.”

I stuck my tongue out at her. “Ugh! As if! I said it was okay for fillies and colts to be friends, but I am not into that mushy stuff, and I’m sure Nova isn’t either. Besides, I’m way too busy training for the Wonderbolts to have time for ‘hooking up’.”

Now Nimbus was rolling her eyes as she returned to her food. “Whatever. Just like my parents said, you’re gonna grow out of that, and when you do you’ll be all over Nova like bees on honey.”

Nimbus was getting a very detailed view of my throat now as I pretended to vomit. “Bleh! No, I won’t be. Maybe you two can waste your time buttering up guys, but I can’t. This conversation is over.”

It literally was. One of the directors got on her megaphone, calling for the end of our lunch. Nimbus and Dive Bomb had a different class to go to now, but I headed for our track for P.E. However, I did stop and nudge the quiet filly that was sitting with us on the way.

“Hey there! I, uh, never actually got your name.”

She lowered her head and managed to hid most of her face behind her mane. At first she started mumbling, but eventually I was able to make out what sounded like an attempt at regular speech.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”

Again, she lowered her head, but this time she was at least a little louder. “F-Fluttershy….”

“It’s nice to meet you, Fluttershy!”

All I got in response was a small squeak. It may have been selfish of me, but I really wanted to know what she knew, so instead of leaving her alone like I should have, I walked with her. “So… what exactly has Nova said about me?”

Her ears twitched when I said this, and she actually raised her head back up. “Oh, nothing major. He just talks about how long you two have been friends. Sometimes he mentions his admiration for your flying skills, too.”

“Anything about… what he thinks of me?”

Fluttershy looked at the ceiling, just for a moment, then looked back down at me. “The phrases ‘worthy rival’ and ‘best friend’ come up a whole lot.”

I couldn’t help but smile when I heard that. “Well… thanks, Fluttershy. I—oh crap!”

She jumped at my exclamation, and I bolted the opposite way of where I was going. “Sorry, I didn’t even notice we were going away from the track!”

Luckily, years of hard work made me as fast as lightning, and I managed to get to P.E. without being late. However, I was greeted by a foreleg to the chest as it was held out across the door. Nova pulled me into a hug the minute I flew into it, prompting me to start laughing.

“Hey! Let go of me, you goof!”

He was laughing as well, and he had a pretty solid hold on me too. “Nope. I didn’t hear any magic words!”

“Hocus pocus, let go of mecus.”

My friend blew a raspberry, but he let me go all the same. “And you say I’m a goof.”

“Whatever. So, how did the appointment go?”

He puffed out his chest and grinned. “Doctor said I’m healthy as a horse. No pun intended.”

I chuckled at that, hitting him in the shoulder. “See? You are a goof.”

“Yet you still hang out with me.”

Now I was rolling my eyes as I stuck my tongue out at him. “Of course I am! You’re like, the only other pony here who can match my coolness.”

Nova threw his front hooves up and started shaking them side to side. “Oh, no, no, no. You’re almost at my cool level. Almost.”

I already had a retort ready, but Bench Press’ whistle rang out through the air. “Alright, fledglings! You remember our warm up routine? Good! Get warmed up, and we’re gonna start today with ten laps around the track! Get to it!”

To be honest, I really hated our P.E. teacher’s lack of interaction. It was always just “do this and leave me alone.”

Nova took the opportunity to turn it into a race, and we spent at least eight out of our ten laps neck and neck. Of course, we were the first two to finish warming up and everyone else was left watching us as we zoomed around the track. Right as we finished the tenth lap, Nova slowed down and did a front flip.

“Woo! Yeah, winner!”

“Pfft! No way, I finished before you did!”

“Did not!”

“Did to!”

“Did not!”

“Did to!”

We stood there for a second, glaring into each other’s eyes. However, as the moments went by, that glaring softened into a kind, friendly gaze. Before I knew it, Nova had his wings around me in a warm, tight hug.

“I don’t care if you don’t like this, I like doing it.”

My eyes shifted away from him, seeing as how I was way too embarrassed to look at him and say it. “It… it doesn’t feel all that weird anymore.”

He raised his brow and poked my stomach. “Who are you and what have you done with Spitfire?”

“Oh, shut up!”

Due to our amazing talents, we had all the time in the world to talk before even one pony from the rest of the class completed the ten laps. “So… I’m gonna ask something weird, Nova.”

My friend pointed a hoof at me and furrowed his brows. “No, that was not me who knocked over your trash can this morning.”

I shook my head and pushed his hoof down. “No, not that. I know you talk about me a lot. What… what exactly do you say about me?”

He blinked a few times before tapping his chin. “Um… I talk about how cool you are. Sometimes I tell others how awesome it is to have you as a friend. I gloat about all the races with you I’ve won. I—”

“Hold on just a second there! You haven’t won that many races! Only like two or three.”

Nova smirked and leaned forward into my face. “I’ve won like, five. You just don’t want to admit it.”

I swatted at him, though he managed to draw back before I made contact. “No, we’ve only raced about six times, and I know I won more than one race!”

“Did not!”

“Did to!”

“Did not!

“Did to!”

My friend chuckled and reached out to give me another hug. “You really are awesome, Spitfire, you know that?”

I leaned back after her let me go. Getting embarrassed always sucked, because blushes showed right through my yellow coat. “Th-thanks Nova.”

He grinned and proceeded to give me a noogie. “What’s wrong? Any other time I would have said that, you’d be going on and on about how true it was. Something up?”

My gaze shifted towards my right, though anywhere away from Nova would’ve worked. “It’s nothing. I’ve just got some stuff on my mind right now.”

Nova raised his brow and nudged me. “Talk. We’re friends, so I’m here for you. You know you can tell me stuff.”

It took a lot of time for me to finally spit it out, and when I did, it was about as smooth as crocodile skin. “Well, Nimbus and Dive Bomb were talking about how we should hook up and mushy stuff like that. I told them a hundred times that I’m way too busy for that… but it got me curious as to what I actually am to you. Then I find out that you say really, really nice things about me. I’m just confused right now.”

He tilted his head and began to tap the side of my head with his hoof. “Are you sure you’re Spitfire? The filly I know would never let something like this completely mess up her mojo.”

I had to smack his hoof away before I could think straight again. “Yes! I am Spitfire, you butt! I don’t know what’s wrong with me… I’ll be fine once we get to actually doing something. Just sitting here is giving me too much time to think.”

Nova rolled his eyes and leaned back. “Yeah right! It’s Friday, so Bench Press is probably just going to make this a free day like he always does.”

“Probably….” Indeed, after the last of our classmates had crossed the finish line, Bench Press blew his whistle and called for a free day, or as he put it, a “Do Whatever You Want for an Hour.”

I have to admit, having P.E. as the last class of the day was awesome, but it kind of dragged on longer than it needed to when we were left to our own devices. It was easy to just pick up a ball or something and start playing a game, but Nova and I always had to have our own twist.

We really couldn’t think of anything good this time around, so we just played a game of WINGS using a ball and some aerial tricks. I got to go first, but sweet Celestia, Nova managed to copy my trick every time. After an hour that felt like five, we finally heard the whistle blow, and after everything was cleaned up, the bell rang to let us know it was time to go home.

Nova and I lived decently close to each other, so we always walked home together. For the most part we were silent, but as my thoughts and curiosity got the better of me, I decided to break the silence before I was driven insane.

“Nova, I’ve been doing a lot, and I mean a lot, of thinking. I still don’t think I have time for anything like ‘hooking up’ but… I think Nimbus may have had a grain of truth in her words. I… I do like you. It just feels like we’ve already been through so much in the five or so years I’ve known you. You know what I mean?”

My friend stopped walking, and I took me a few steps to realize he was no longer beside me. I turned back to him and was met with a rather comforting smile. “I do. We’re not just friends, we’re best friends! I mean, seriously, nopony in all of Cloudsdale, or Equestria even, could be as cool as you! Well, except me of course.”

I felt myself calming down as his words sunk in. “Yeah… yeah. There’s nothing weird about this, you’re just my best friend!”

He smiled and flew over me, turning upside down and lining himself up with me almost perfectly. “It’s only right though, isn’t it? Two pegasi as talented as us should be friends! I mean, it would almost be a crime for us not to!”

After a moment I started giggling, but another thought crossed my mind. “Say… I just thought of something. Nimbus kept talking about hooking up… but what does that even mean?”

Nova just shrugged, and we laughed all the way back home.

Thirteen Years Old

Junior Speedsters graduates usually spent all day getting ready for the graduation ceremony. A special track was set up that was able to safely accommodate the entire graduating class, and they all participated in a massive obstacle course race. Nova and I started practicing the day before, and we only stopped long enough for dinner and a few hours’ sleep. Graduation day couldn’t come fast enough, and even when it did, we had to kill a good seven hours practicing again.

Finally, the bell rang out through the grounds, calling all graduates to the track and everyone else to the stands around it. All the participants lined up at the starting line, and the administration staff took their spots up in a special stand above all the others. However, I spotted two other ponies that were with them this year.

It always took a few minutes for everything to get started, so I turned to Nova and gave him a wink. “Good luck.”

He just grinned. “Who needs luck when you’ve got skill? We’re gonna blow these guys away.”

I never could tell if it was mere confidence or bravado that made him say stuff like that, but I didn’t really care either. Before I could say anything else, we heard the voice of our principle echo through the air.

“Fillies and gentlecolts! This is a momentous day! For it is on this day that our proud senior students will be given the chance to show everyone here what Junior Speedsters Flight Camp has taught them! Today, our graduates will race through this special obstacle course, and they will have their names called out as they cross the finish line and receive their diplomas. Now, without further ado, let the race begin!”

The principle held a flag up just for a moment, and an air horn blared as the flag came down. Everyone took off in a flash, and for the first time in a long time, Nova and I weren’t at the front of a race. However, after some bobbing and weaving between our fellow students, we both soon found ourselves in front, and moments later, far ahead of the group. It was actually really surprising how they managed to get those small tornadoes and rotating shaft poles in a track made of clouds, but I never questioned it. All I was focused on was zooming through each challenge I was presented with while still maintaining my speed.

The longer I went, the faster I got, but Nova still managed to stay right beside me. I forgot how big this track actually was, and as we approached the midway point, we were both going faster than we ever had before. I looked over at my friend for just a split second, and I saw that the clouds beneath him were actually splitting along a fine line. A quick look down revealed the same happening to me. We started to hear cheering from the crowd, but it was soon drowned out by a loud screeching. My eyes were starting to water now, but it didn’t last for very long.

“Nova Dash! Spitfire!”

I started slowing down the minute I had a hold of that diploma. When I finally stopped, the crowd was roaring, and Nova was doing front flips in the air. “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Check it out, Spitfire!”

It stood out like a sore hoof. Nova turned around to show me his flank, and my eyes widened when I spotted the firebolt stamped on it. He started to grin as he flew towards me, and he began to laugh when he got behind me.

“Looks like I’m not the only one.”

My ears twitched, and I immediately turned to look at my own flank. I now had my own fiery cutie mark, and it looked to me like three flames in the form of a phoenix. Before I knew what happened, I had thrown my forelegs around Nova and was screaming in joy.

Had it not been for the fact that we had gotten our cutie marks, we would’ve stayed and watched all the others finish. However, we absolutely had to get to our parents and tell them what happened, and we were allowed to leave once we had gotten our diplomas. Just as we were about to leave the track, those two ponies I saw with the administration stepped out and blocked our path.

The mare adjusted her glasses and stared the both of us down. “Mr. Dash. Miss Spitfire. Do you know who we are?”

We traded looks before shrugging. The stallion just stood there, scribbling on a clipboard as the mare continued to speak. “We are scouts for the Cloudsdale Academy for Advanced Pegasi. Our school received letters from this establishment recommending you two for entry. Now, I’m sure you two know that our academy is reserved for only the most talented of pegasi, and graduation from the school is the first step towards a possible career with the Wonderbolts.”

My ears fell flat, but Nova’s perked up as he grinned. “I’m going to assume you’re either here to tell us that we were good, but just barely under the mark, or that we’re going to be accepted.”

She slowly nodded. “I’d be lying if I said I was not impressed. Not only did you display speed and agility far beyond the levels of your classmates, but the fact that you both received your cutie marks after winning this race tells me that you were both born to walk this path. Obviously, I’m here to let you know that you’ll be receiving letters of acceptance this summer, and will be allowed entry as soon as the new school year starts, but more than that, I’d like you to know that I myself will be recommending you for the advanced placement program. Unfortunately, we have business elsewhere now, but we will be in touch very soon. Have a good day.”

I waited until they both flew off before flinging my forelegs around Nova again. “Can you believe it? We are going to attend the Academy! That’s the most prestigious flight school in all of Cloudsdale!”

“I know! That’s too awesome for words! Not only that, but we’re going together!”

Neither of us could resist a strong high-hoof, but it still wasn’t enough to release all of our new found excitement. We shouted out together, and I’d bet money saying the whole crowd could hear us. “Yeah!”

Chapter 3: Change

What Might Have Been

Chapter 3: Change

By: SleeplessScribe

That summer was almost impossible to wait through. Somehow, we managed to make it, and we couldn’t wait to start our new lives at the academy. To be honest, it was a lot like Junior Speedsters, except much more challenging. We flew through the first two years, and while we made new friends there, the two of us were still inseparable. In fact, we had grown a lot closer, to the point that others started asking questions.

Fifteen Years Old

The first two years on campus were a bit restrictive, but once I entered my third year, I was allowed to leave the campus whenever I wanted. Winter in Cloudsdale was rarely fun, so my new little group of friends flew down to Baltimare for winter break where it was a bit warmer. Of course Nova was with us, but there was also his friend Soarin, and my two friends Gale and Overcast.

Believe it or not, Baltimare’s beaches were pretty warm, even in the middle of December. We got rooms at a hotel not too far from it and proceeded to enjoy. The boardwalk was full of shops too, so us three mares decided to treat ourselves to smoothies while Nova and Soarin checked out the sports place nearby. We sat at one of the tables outside and stared out at the water. I should have known better than to leave myself alone with two female friends. Granted, Gale and Overcast weren’t big on gossip, but they were teenage mares.

Overcast had a straw in her mouth, but I was sure she wanted to ask the same thing Gale did. “Soooo, Spitfire, you have any Hearth’s Warming plans this year? I hear your parents went on a trip.”

I just rolled my eyes. I didn’t really mind that they left without me. They deserved a break, and I really didn’t want them to wait on me. “No clue. I’ll figure something out, don’t worry. Besides, I think this is the first time in years my parents are actually getting the week off. I don’t mind not seeing them since they work so hard.”

Overcast released the straw and yawned. “Yeah, but at least yours are still alive. I get to go to a grave. Though, I think I have an idea for this year.”

My ears twitched as I turned to her. “What’s that?”

“Well, I missed my chance last Hearts and Hooves Day, so I think I’m going to finally confess to Soarin. I really like him.”

Gale started giggling as she winked at the now blushing mare. “That’s sweet. Good luck, girl.” Her gaze slowly shifted to me as she tapped her chin. “You know, Spitfire, Nova’s parents are away, too. Maybe you two could spend the holiday together. I mean, you’re practically dating already, so why not?”

I don’t think my face had ever been so hot. “E-excuse me? We are not dating! We’re just friends. Really good friends.”

Both of them blew raspberries, but Overcast returned to her smoothie. “Girl, are you dense? I’ve seen the way he looks at you sometimes. Spitfire, come on. You two are perfect for each other! Unless I’m really stupid, you always seem to have fun around him, and the both of you play off of each other more than ‘really good friends’ normally do. Besides, doesn’t he have a sister? That ought to make things a little less awkward.”

I leaned back in my chair. “Mm, you have a point, but I can’t remember the last time he saw Rainbow. She just dropped out of Junior Speedsters all of a sudden, and he never told me why.”

Overcast finished her large sip and poked herself in the conversation again. “What’s the harm in asking, though? If you’re too embarrassed to tell us you like him, you don’t have to tell us. Regardless of how you feel, the worst that could happen is him having to turn you down, and if he says yes, it’s a positive whether you like him as just a friend or more. Either way, you should think about it; Hearth’s Warming is only two days away.”

My eyes widened a bit as I smiled. “Wow, this is a lot better than the conversation I had a few years ago. Two of my school friends were pestering me about Nova, but you two are actually making sense. You’re right, there’s no harm in just asking.”

Just as I finished speaking, Nova flew over our heads, followed by a large ball. He turned around, caught it, and kicked it in our direction. Unfortunately, Soarin missed the catch and it bounced off of his foreleg and into Overcast’s smoothie, spilling the rest of it all over her and the ground. All heads turned to him as he froze.

The silence lasted for at least a minute before he grabbed a bunch of napkins and tried to help her. “Ah geeze, I am so sorry Overcast. I’ll, uh, buy you another. I’m really, really sorry.”

She blushed a little as she was helped onto her hooves. “O-okay. Thanks, Soarin.” The two of them walked through the door into the little parlor, prompting Gale to smirk and wink at me.

Nova touched down and started rubbing the back of his head. “Eh, I should probably apologize too. We shouldn’t have been messing around so close to you girls. You two alright?”

I just froze. I opened my mouth slightly, but when nothing came out, I turned to Gale. All she did was nudge her head towards him with raised brows. After gulping down a lump in my throat, I managed to find my voice again. “Hey, Nova, do you mind if I ask you something?”

“No, I did not use my textbook as a sand sled.”

He chuckled as I rolled my eyes. “No, I was just wondering if… do you think we could do something together for Hearth’s Warming? Seeing as how we couldn’t go on vacation with our parents, I figured we could just spend it together.”

A small smile crossed his muzzle. “Sure, that sounds cool. My parents are actually on vacation right now.”

My blush went away almost immediately and my eyes lit up. “Really? Thanks, I was worried I’d have to spend another holiday alone.”

“Pfft! You really think I’d let that happen to you if I could help it?”

“I guess not.” I couldn’t help but let out a nervous chuckle. As I turned to Gale, she winked at me again.

“You two have anywhere you want to go? I hear you have a sister, Nova. Maybe you could go see her?”

He just shrugged. “Eh, Rainbow’s not too keen on seeing family right now. Something about not wanting her ‘training’ interrupted. She’ll grow out of it, but it’s best not to make her mad right now.”

I was reminded of how much I hated that stupid habit as my tail started swishing. “My place is already decorated and stuff. If you want, you could come over and we can hang out.”

Nova chuckled and sat down beside me. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

My tail started swishing again as I scooted my chair a bit closer to him. Gale looked over to a nearby clock and raised her brow. “Geeze, how long does it take to buy a smoothie?”

After a few more minutes, Overcast and Soarin finally came out, but neither of them had a new drink. “What took you two so long?”

They both just looked away and scratched their heads. “Well… we were talking, and then Overcast’s stomach growled. It’s almost lunch time anyway, so why don’t we all get some food?”

Everyone but Overcast started walking with Soaring towards the pizza place across the street, but I stayed with her. “A pony doesn’t get that flustered over a stomach growl. What actually happened?”

She started tapping her front hooves together. “Well, I told him how I felt. He feels the same way, and we… we ended up making out in a booth.”

I blinked a few times. “Well that escalated quickly.”

The rest of the day—and the two days after—played out as a normal college vacation would, save for me trying to get away from Nova, Soarin, and Overcast so I could find a gift for Nova. At the end of the third day, we all said our goodbyes and split up. As we watched the new couple fly off, I felt a nudge on my shoulder.

“Can you believe it? I thought Soarin would never say something.”

I shook my head quickly. “Wait, you mean Soarin was struggling to confess to Overcast too?”

“Yeah, he was really upset that he squandered a good chance on Hearts and Hooves Day. Anyway, I have something I need to take care of quickly. Head on home, I’ll see you there. That alright with you?”

I nodded and slowly took off. I couldn’t help but chuckle a little at my clever plan to have Gale drop off my gift for Nova at my house on the way to see her family. My speed made the trip to Cloudsdale a breeze, and I tucked the wrapped up box at my doorstep under my wing and brought it inside. Unfortunately I couldn’t find a decent place to hide it; Nova walked in just moments after I finished tidying a few things.

“Honey, I’m home!” My friend starting laughing right after he said that. It was already dark outside, so I started turning on the lightning clouds in our windows.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming, Nova! It feels weird to say it for the first time today. Today’s almost over.”

His ears twitched as he followed me to the couch. “Speaking of… ” he turned around and set a small box down in front of me. “I got this for you. Apparently wings make really good hiding spots, seeing as how you didn’t even say anything to me about it.”

I looked from him to the box a few times before my tail began swishing. “I actually got you something too.” It took me a few minutes to remember where I put it, but once I did, I fluttered off to get it. Oddly enough, the two boxes were the same size.

We traded looks quickly and unwrapped our gifts at the same time. When we opened the boxes, I think we silently initiated a game of “First to Laugh Loses”. Inside of both boxes was a blue scarf with a yellow lightning bolt stretching from end to end.

Finally, we both cracked and spoke at the same time. “A Wonderbolts scarf! I’ve always wanted one of these!” Both of us began to laugh, but Nova calmed down before I did and helped me put it on.

“It looks really good on you.”

I felt my face heat up as my stupid tail started swishing again. After a few moments, I bashfully tried to help him get his on as well. “I could say the same for you.”

He chuckled and pulled me into a hug after we were both wearing our gifts. “You know, the lady at the shop told me that it didn’t matter what my gift was as long as I was giving from the heart. After giving that some thought, I came up with something else I wanted to give you.”

My ears twitched as I looked up at him. “What’s that?”

I think his next words temporarily paralyzed me. “Me. I’ve done a lot of thinking since we first started attending the academy. Spitfire, we’ve been through a lot, and you’re the only mare I could say I ‘want’. Spitfire… I love you.”

A small part of me wished I hadn’t, but the rest of me didn’t want to delay it. As Nova leaned forward a little, I closed the gap and softly pressed my lips against his. My eyes slowly closed, and my tail nearly fell off because of how quickly it was moving side to side. I felt his forelegs and wings wrap themselves around me, and I found myself doing the same as we lost ourselves in the warmth of the kiss.

After a while, we finally broke the kiss and stared at each other with bright red faces. I cleared my throat and leaned against his chest. “I guess I understand how Soarin and Overcast went from confession to make-out session so fast.”

He smiled and gently caressed my cheek. “I love you, Spitfire.”

As Nova leaned back, I rested myself on his chest and sighed. “I love you too, Nova.”

Chapter 4: Something to Remember

What Might Have Been

Chapter 4: Something to Remember

By: SleeplessScribe

Well, we never heard the end of it when word started getting out. It’s not like we were being teased or messed with, but you can only hear so many variations of “congratulations” before it gets old. Things between Nova and I got to the point where we even trained together. Before, we would just get together when it was convenient and practice things we had learned, but now we were scheduling training and practice sessions the same way we did dates. Three years went by, and Nova and I grew closer and closer; our love grew deeper and deeper. He even went so far as to start breaking campus rules.

Eighteen Years Old

I let out a loud yawn as I made my way to my dorm. Today marked my and Nova’s third Hearts and Hooves Day as a couple, and he decided to treat me to a lovely dinner date in Canterlot that evening. Once I was in my dorm room, I set the flowers he gave me in a vase, fell in bed, and thanked Celestia I managed to get a room to myself. I yawned again and closed my eyes, but threw myself out of bed when I heard the window open. Before my very eyes, Nova slipped through and closed it.

“Nova! What have I told you about coming in here? Don’t you remember almost getting caught last time?”

He smiled and trotted towards me. Once he was close enough he kissed my cheek. “I know, I know, I couldn’t help it. Well, I probably could have, but I really wanted to spend just a little more Hearts and Hooves time with you.”

Trying not to smile proved futile. “Well, since you’re here...” I grinned and pushed him on my bed, getting on top of him and resting my head on his chest. “You’re on pillow duty.”

“No objections here.”

After a few moments of silence, I squeaked lightly as I felt a warmth on the tip of my ear. Looking up revealed my coltfriend teasingly nibbling at it between his lips. “Oh, you want to play that game?”

Nova wasn’t given a chance to respond as I leaned up and gently grabbed a hold of his ear. I gave a few soft bites before he rolled over and pinned me underneath him. My wings slowly began to unfold until they were completely open and as stiff as boards. Nova’s wings did the same when he saw this, and he leaned down to treat me to a soft, warm kiss. His taste was almost intoxicating, and as he pulled away, I was half tempted to grab his head and force him into another. However, his kisses down my neck rendered me immobile.

My face felt redder than the tips of his mane, and the damp warmth of tongue as he softly licked my neck sent shivers down my spine. It was a really strange feeling, but I couldn’t help but wrap my forelegs around him as he repeated the action. We could both feel the heat from the other, and we knew now was the perfect time. There was no turning back, but it was still sweet of him to whisper in my ear.

“Is it alright?”

All I did was nod. “I love you, Nova. I’m yours.”

He smiled and kissed me again. It seemed like hours before I felt it, though I knew it was only a few seconds. I let out a sharp gasp, prompting my lover to stop moving. “D-does it hurt?”

I shook my head, and I would’ve put my wings around him if they didn’t feel like sheets of wood. “Just be gentle….”

My coltfriend nodded and held me close to him. It was the strangest—but warmest—feeling I’d ever experienced. Even as I felt Nova inside me, the combination of pleasure from the action itself and the comfort I got from being so close to him overshadowed any pain that may have resulted. It took every ounce of restraint I had to keep from moaning, and eventually I resorted to holding Nova in a kiss to muffle them.

Every little move he made sent a chill up my spine. Nova was being so polite and gentle that he even refused to go beyond a certain point. Eventually I pulled him down, and as he started messing with my ear again, I whispered into his.

“I said I’m yours. Nova Dash, I… I’m so in love with you. Please take me… I’d have already pushed you off if I didn’t want it.”

He slowly closed his eyes and caressed my cheek. “Are you sure? I don’t want to hurt you.”

I nodded and leaned up, pressing my lips against his for at least the seventh time now. His hold on me tightened, and my body was pressed up against his. There were no words to express how it felt; Nova kept his tight hold on me as he met resistance, and he tried everything from kisses to nuzzles to keep me calm as I was broken. The pain was severe, but it barely lasted any time at all, and the pleasure that came afterwards was overwhelming.

Through it all Nova never let go, and he never let up with the affectionate kisses and teasing nibbles. Overcast was much more experienced with this kind of thing, and she told me that it was very common for the stallion to finish before the mare, but I reached my limit twice before I felt Nova start throbbing. Neither of us were dumb enough to keep going, so I took the rest in my mouth instead. We avoided a mess, and admittedly, it didn’t taste as bad as I thought it would. When all was said and done, our wings softened up and closed again, I fell on my back, and Nova turned around and resumed pillow duty.

I leaned up and rubbed my muzzle against his neck. “I just realized something: you haven’t said ‘I love you’ since you came through the window.”

He just smiled and kissed my forehead. “Actions speak louder than words. I can say ‘I love you’ all I want, but I think I did a pretty good job of showing you how strong my love is.”

“Wow, that was corny… but also really sweet.” I closed my eyes as he brought his wings around me. Getting to sleep was even easier than usual; being with Nova always made me feel safe, and being held by him was the warmest feeling I’d ever experienced. Luckily, Nova didn’t snore either.

My sweet dreams were interrupted by a loud banging at my door. “Spitfire! Come on! I know it’s Saturday, but you’ve never slept in this late! It’s ten o’ clock!”

Of course it was late for Gale; she got up at seven every morning. Both Nova and I jumped and stared at the door when she knocked again. We traded looks briefly, but before he had a chance to move towards the window, we heard my doorknob shake as the door was slowly pushed open. My coltfriend jumped under the bed as I tried to tidy up my mane. About a year ago, I started trying out a style kind of like Nova’s; but at least seeing it down wasn’t an odd thing for Gale.

“Spitfire! What’s up, girl? You don’t sleep in like this.”

I let out a nervous chuckle. “I was just really tired. Nova and I were out late last night, you know how it goes. Canterlot restaurants always have long waits.”

She raised her brow and drew closer. “Uh-huh. Overcast said the same thing. You don’t mind if I… look in your closet, do you?”

When I heard the first part of her sentence, I felt like my heart was going to burst from my chest, but I let out a sigh when she finished it. “N-no! Of course not! Why would I have anything in my closet? Nothing to hide there, just my towels and washcloths!”

Gale rolled her eyes and trotted over to the closet. I tried my best to keep smiling as she opened it, hoping for dear life that Nova could stay quiet. As she opened the closet and began to look around, I lost all hope in getting out of this scot free. Suddenly I was forced to grab my stomach as Gale turned towards me, trying to act like the growling did indeed come from me.

She turned to me with squinting eyes. “You hungry, Spitfire?”

I nodded quickly. “Yeah! Yeah! I normally would have eaten by now, so I could really use some breakfast!”

Luckily for me, my own stomach began to growl, and Gale’s glare softened up. “Alright then. Hurry up and get straightened out. I’ll be downstairs, and we can all grab some chow.”

As she turned to leave, I started waving like an idiot. “I’ll be down in a second!” After letting out another sigh, I looked across the hallway and spotted Overcast in her room. As Nova slowly crawled out from under our bed, all four, yes, four, of us froze. I highly doubted that Overcast expected to see Nova hiding in my room, and I wasn’t that surprised—but did find it incredibly hilarious—to see Soarin struggling to get out of Overcast’s closet. Both guys rushed to their respective windows, and I tidied myself up to meet Gale.

As we walked, Overcast nudged me. “So… how was your first time?”

I just sighed and looked at the ceiling. “Overcast, there’s no doubt in my mind anymore. He’s the one.”

Chapter 6: Now and Forever

What Might Have Been

Chapter 6: Now and Forever

By: SleeplessScribe

We spent some time after that preparing everything for the wedding. We had quite a bit of help, but things were put on hold about a week after Nova proposed. While we were looking through a book for food recipes we could serve, someone started knocking at our door. My eyes widened when I saw Soarin on the other side sporting the blue and yellow uniform I had been dreaming of for years.

“Excuse me, ma’am, do you have a moment to hear about the good news?”

I was honestly half tempted to say “No thank you” and close the door on him teasingly. “Only if you tell me why you’re wearing that.”

He stepped in after the door was completely open and looked around. “Where’s Nova?”

“Somebody call me?” Just as Soarin closed his mouth, my fiancé trotted in from the kitchen. “Whoa, Soarin, where’d you get the outfit?”

Soarin chuckled and puffed out his chest. “I wanted to surprise you both at the race, but after what happened, I was extremely afraid of stealing Nova’s thunder. While you two were climbing through the ranks in the EAAR, I was going through the Wonderbolt Academy. Not as glorious as the path you two took, but you’re looking at the newest pre-Haytona recruit!”

My tail began swishing from side to side, and I think I heard a snicker from behind me “That’s great news! Glad I didn’t shut the door on you now.”

“Oh, that’s not the good news I was talking about.” We both tilted our heads as a grin stretched across Soarin’s face. “I told the guys in charge that I was a friend of yours, so they let me deliver the message.” He then turned away from us and reached into the bag he was carrying. The uniform was tossed and landed on my head before I even had time to shriek. “I’m not the only new Wonderbolt this year.”

That nearly knocked the wind out of me. However, Soarin’s grin only grew as he turned to my fiancé. I actually did shriek when he was also given a uniform, forcing Soarin to wait until I was done before addressing us again.

“It wasn’t the win that made everyone decide to take you. Did you know the scouts from the academy that watched our graduation ceremony were the same ones that were at the big race? I was at the meeting they held after the fact, and those two were all too eager to bring the both of you up. Many comments were made about your speed and technique, but ultimately it was that accident with Thunderlane that got approval from most of those who mattered.”

Nova let out a small chuckle. “I should have guessed. That’s how it always happens in the movies.”

Soarin chuckled too, turning to my still speechless self. “They did notice you stop too, Spitfire. I may or may not have had a little bit to do with this, considering I said something about one of you probably not joining without the other. That got me some pretty negative looks since I was only there to observe, but I feel like it helped.”

There was no way I could resist grabbing a hold of both stallions and hugging them so tightly they turned blue—well, darker blue in Soarin’s case. “This is so awesome!”

“Spitfire…” I turned to Nova and immediately let go of them both. He took a deep breath and kissed me on the cheek. “Thanks, princess.”

Soarin looked over into the kitchen, turning to us after he saw the open book. “Did I… interrupt something?”

I just shook my head and gave him another quick hug. “We were just looking through some recipes to decide on what we wanted to serve at the wedding.” I began bouncing in place as my ears twitched and my tail swished from side to side excitedly, and both Nova and Soarin could testify to the fact that I didn’t get like that very often. “I just can’t wait! I’m so happy.”

Nova smiled and kissed me again. “That’s always been my goal.”

Soarin grinned before turning to the door. “Sorry to interrupt, guys. Don’t tell me I’m not being a bother, I really don’t want to take up any more time than I have to. Hey, you know what I’ll do?”

We both tilted our heads as that grin returned to his face. “I’m gonna propose to Overcast if she catches the bouquet. If she doesn’t, I’ll do it next Hearth’s Warming.”

I smiled at him. “That sounds like a great idea. I might even toss her way on purpose.” Nova brought me to him, and I nuzzled myself under his chin. “You two are really cute together, you know that?”

He chuckled again as he opened the door. “If only you knew how many times she’s said that about you two. Sometimes I wonder which one of you is more excited for the wedding, because she’s pretty hyped. Anyway, I’ll see you guys later. Training and practice doesn’t start for a bit longer, so you have plenty of time to get ready and get married and all that jazz.” Soarin waved to us before closing the door and leaving the both of us alone again.

I let out a long sigh and rested against Nova’s chest. “Can you believe it? We’re Wonderbolts, babe. We actually made it!”

“We did…” He brought his wings around me, resting his chin on my head. “You know, it’s kind of funny. Back in day care, we made a vow to surpass one another, and almost twenty years later we’re going to be making vows to treat each other as equals.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “Oh believe me, you’re not getting any special treatment in the field just because you’ll be my husband. In fact, that’s an even bigger motivator for me to improve further.”

He smiled and wrapped his forelegs around me. “I love you, Spitfire.”

“I love you too, Nova.”

Excitement never died, for even as the hype of being accepted into the Wonderbolts began to fade, the day of our wedding was fast approaching. Before we knew it, we had been separated so we could prepare for the ceremony. My original dress had been scrapped for a better one that Rainbow Dash’s friend had designed; the minute Nova told his sister about everything that happened, all of Ponyville—the town she was living in—found out about it, and many residents were eager to help make everything perfect.

Now that I think about it, it was kind of silly, but of course, even our wedding had a Wonderbolts theme. Rainbow Dash, Overcast, and Gale all wore blue dresses with gold accents, while mine was gold with blue accents. All of them had matching designs woven into them that resembled wind blowing through a grassy field. Instead of a normal veil, I wore a golden laurel crown that shimmered in any light that it was put under. I made a mental note to thank the unicorn that designed the outfits and shower her with compliments. Not only that, but I made a note to find out her name as well.

She came all the way to Baltimare just to save me the trouble of having to fly from Ponyville to the beach here. Once she had gotten all three of my bridesmaids dressed up, it was time for me to don my masterpiece.

“So, darling, are you excited? You’ve actually been much quieter than other brides I’ve worked with.”

My ears twitched some as I turned to her. “Oh, if only I could actually put it into words. Thank you so much for doing this on such short notice.”

The unicorn waved her hoof at me as she lowered the crown onto my head. “It’s no problem at all, really. One of my favorite things about this job is seeing the joy of a bride on her big day. Of course, I make dresses for many occasions, but weddings are my favorite by far. You look absolutely gorgeous, Spitfire! Speaking of, I must say what an honor it is to work with a Wonderbolt! So, who is this Nova Dash? Rainbow never did give me any details in her excitement.”

Rainbow looked to her and cleared her throat. “I did tell you he’s my brother, right? We… kinda had a falling out long ago and far away, but I can’t wait to introduce you all to him today! You will come, right, Rarity?”

Rarity! So that was her name. Rarity nodded and nudged her head towards the window. “I’ve made all of the girls’ outfits, so we’ll all be there. It’s a good thing you’re having the wedding on the beach and not in the clouds!”

I tilted my head, as did Overcast and Gale. “Girls?”

Rarity nodded again. “We have a small, tight knit group of friends here in Ponyville, and we’ll all be coming. We are welcome, aren’t we?”

“Sure! I look forward to seeing you all and getting to meet you! It’s a good thing Nova and I planned for unexpected company.”

She giggled and finished straightening out the dress. “There you are, dear! Now, don’t let me keep you here any longer!”

I gave her one last thank you before stepping out to meet my ride. My parents had gotten a carriage to take me and the girls to the beach in Baltimare where Nova and I first made the decision to confess to each other. Both of them were waiting for me in it with the biggest smiles on their faces. They brought me into a tight hug as I stepped in, and I returned the affection.

“I can’t believe my little girl’s all grown up….” I know I heard a sniffle from him, but Dad would never admit to crying, so I didn’t say anything about it.

Mom, on the other hoof, already had tears falling from her eyes. “There was a time when I thought Nova was like all other colts his age, but now there’s no one I think could be better for you. I’m so happy for you, sweetie.”

“Stop, Mom, you’re gonna get me all teary-eyed before I even get to see Nova….” Even though I was starting to cry myself, I was smiling too.

“Too late!” Overcast never was one to stay dry in emotional situations. She was already wiping her eyes as she, Rainbow, and Gale held onto me. “I know you can’t tell, but I’m so happy!”

We all giggled as Gale let go of me. “Anypony bring umbrellas?”

Everypony, even Overcast, started laughing as we approached the beach. There was still time before I was to make my appearance, so my bridesmaids took off to find their places. Dad smiled at me and kissed the top of my head.

“Spitfire, I’m so proud right now. You’re a Wonderbolt, you’re about to be a wife, but you’re still my little girl. I tell ya, giving you away isn’t going to be easy, but I’m proud of Nova, too. It takes more guts to ask a filly to marry you than you think.”

Mom gave him a nudge and wiped her eyes. “Sweetheart, I’ve dreamed of this day just as much as you have, possibly more. I’ve never seen you as happy as you are now, and that in itself makes me happy.”

I had to sniffle before speaking. “Really, guys, stop! You’re gonna make me start crying!”

We all started to laugh as Mom stepped out. “Okay, honey, okay. I’ll be waiting for you!”

That left just my father and me. “Today… I just want you to know just how proud of you I am. You’ve come so far and done so much with your life, and today is yet another big milestone. It was truly an experience watching both you and Nova grow into the ponies you are today, and honestly, I can’t think of any other stallion I’d rather see you with. I know he’ll treat you right, but I’m not going to let him forget that I loved you first.”

I chuckled a little and wrapped him in a tight hug. “I know you won’t, Dad. Just… try not to be… overbearing. I’m not a little filly anymore, you don’t need to protect me.”

He nodded as we stepped off of the carriage. “I’ll try to keep that in mind. I love you, sweetie.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

My father turned away, but the sniffling was a dead give away to his crying. I gave him a few minutes to himself, and he finally calmed down just in time for Mom to signal us through the little hut that had been fashioned to keep Nova from seeing me.

Dad looked at me and nodded before holding his hoof out. “Are you ready?”

“I am.”

I took a hold of his hoof and let him lead me through the hut. Once I was on the other side, all heads turned to me. Despite everyone looking at me, my gaze was centered on the tuxedo-clad stallion at the end of the aisle. His eyes never drifted away from my own, even as my father gave me away and allowed me to join him at the altar. My eyes widened when a rather familiar voice rang out beside me, and I looked over for just a moment to see the bright, silver-haired mare smiling back at me. The sight took me back to my time at daycare, but the flashback only lasted a moment before her speech cut through it.

“Fillies and gentlecolts! We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of these two intertwined souls. I myself have watched the bond between these two form and grow into the beautiful thing it is today, and I am quite honored to be the one joining them. However, some of you may not be so happy. If there is anyone here that objects to this union, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace.”

We waited for a few moments, and Sunbeam continued after we were sure there were no neighsayers. “Very well. It would be my pleasure to complete this ceremony, but not before I allow you two a word with each other.”

I smiled and nodded to her, but immediately turned my head when Nova took a hold of my front hooves. “Spitfire… I knew you were special from the day I first met you. You were one of my first friends that wasn’t related to me, and you were always my best rival. You pushed me to my limits and beyond, both on the race track and off, and eventually won my heart. Sometimes I wonder if the days since our first kiss have been a dream, but if they are, I hope it never ends.”

It was getting really hard to hold back my tears, and I could hear sniffles coming from both the seats and from behind me, most likely from Overcast and my parents.

“I don’t know what I did to earn an amazing mare like you, but I promise I’ll do my best to deserve you. I’ve learned not to make promises I know I can’t keep, but I know I can make you happy, and I promise never to stop trying for just that. Seeing you smile is one of the most beautiful things to me, and I’m going to do everything I can to give you a reason to smile every day. I promise to love you, comfort you, and protect you for as long as I live. I’m yours, Spitfire, now and forever.”

There was no way I could keep my face dry now. Despite the tears that were falling from my eyes, I was sporting the biggest smile of my life. He lifted his hoof and wiped my tears away, and every time I tried to respond, I choked on the words and kept crying. In the end, I only managed to get out one thing.

“I’m yours, now and forever.” In all honesty, everything I wanted to say boiled down to that. I had so many things I wanted to say, but I just couldn’t get them out. Eventually I stopped trying as my neighbor Fleetfoot—with whom I hung out when I first joined the EAAR—walked down the aisle with our pendants.

Sunbeam smiled at both of us and wiped her eyes. “Do you, Nova Dash, take Spitfire Ace to be your loving wife?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Spitfire Ace, take Nova Dash to be your loving husband?”

I couldn’t help but be distracted for a brief moment by the mention of my last name. It wasn’t something many ponies knew, and I rarely even put it on papers, but I didn’t really mind it for this occasion.

“I do.”

She nodded as Fleetfoot happily gave us each other’s pendants to exchange. “Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss the bride!”

Everypony began to cheer as Nova leaned forward and pressed his lips against my own. Once he finally broke our kiss, I tossed the bouquet I had been holding up into the air. Many of the other mares moved to grab it, but I started giggling when it fell right into Overcast’s grasp.

I looked back up at Nova and he kissed me again. He held his foreleg out, leading me out after I had put mine around it. The carriage I arrived on had been replaced with a shiny, golden one with bells behind it. The bells rang out beautifully as the pegasi pulling the carriage took off, and the both of us turned and waved to everyone still on the ground.

Finally, I turned back to Nova and leaned on his shoulder. “I’m so happy right now.”

“I am too, Spitfire… I am too.”

Chapter 7: Good News

What Might Have Been

Chapter 7: Good News

By: SleeplessScribe

Nova made me the happiest mare in all of Equestria that day, but that happiness lasted long after the wedding. He surprised me with a preplanned honeymoon to Tall Tale, and the suite he rented at the five star hotel was beyond anything I had ever dreamed of; having him by my side only added to my excitement. I was very glad he didn’t choose Las Pegasus; while it was an amazing city, Tall Tale had much better sightseeing. Heck, we could see the Smokey Mountain and Whitetail Woods without even leaving our room.

We stayed there for an entire week, and Nova treated me to something new every night. He took me to a fancy restaurant, we saw a play, and so many other amazing things! On the last day, we got to let our inner foals out with a trip to an amusement park that ended with us kissing at the top of a Ferris wheel.

Once we were back on the ground, we headed towards the exit. Nova nudged me after we went through the exit. “So, did you have a good time, princess?”

I smiled and wrapped my forelegs around his shoulders. “I had a wonderful time, Nova. Thank you so much.”

He chuckled and looked up at the sky. “Don’t thank me just yet. We still have the rest of the evening before we need to get ready to leave.”

I tilted my head a little. “Did you have something else in mind?”

Nova slowly nodded. “Follow me.”

He took to the air, and I followed suit. At first, it didn’t seem like even he knew where he was going; he was just weaving through trees and making turn after turn after turn. Eventually, though, he slowed to a stop and touched down onto the roof of our hotel. I was so focused on following him that I didn’t even realize he had lead me in a big circle.

“So… why did we need to go through all of that to get here?”

Nova just shrugged. “I like messing with you. However, there is a reason we’re here.”

He pointed to his left, and I was left speechless when I turned to look. From our current position, we could see not only the ocean, but the gorgeous light of a bright orange sunset reflecting off of it.

My jaw dropped, and my eyes went wide as I stared. Nova set one of his hooves on top of mine and gave me a gentle nudge. “I tried all week to find something as beautiful as you… this was the closest I could get, but it still can’t compare to you.”

I leaned against him and nuzzled my head into his neck. “You’re too sweet, you know that?”

“Well, this isn’t called a honeymoon for nothing.”

I started giggling, but that sweetness began to turn spicy as I felt his feathers brush up against my rear. A smirk spread on my muzzle as I looked up at Nova, pushing him away with a wink. “You know you don’t have to sneak any feels, right? I’m your wife now, so all you have to do is ask.”

His ears perked up, and he let out a chuckle as I turned around and began swishing my tail. Teasing Nova was always one of my favorite hobbies. I slowly lifted my tail to give him a good view, and before I knew it, I was on my stomach with Nova on top of me. I giggled and squealed as Nova began to nip at my ear, and he chuckled into it, his warm breath giving me more reason to laugh, but I pushed against the roof with my wing and rolled us both over so I was on top.

“If you’re going to get frisky, we should go inside. Don’t want anyone catching us, do we?”

He nodded and lifted me up, carrying me into our room through one of the oversized windows. As soon as he closed it, I jumped onto the bed and covered my flanks with the blanket. “You want it? Come get it.”

Nova rubbed his chin and turned towards the door. “Hmm… nah.”

My jaw dropped again as I watched him slowly trot towards the door. Before he could even get halfway across the bedroom, I tackled him and pinned him to the floor. “Oh no you don’t! You think you can just say ‘no’ after getting me all riled up? Haha, that’s cute, but no. You’re not getting of the hook that easily!”

He smiled and stuck his tongue out. “What, so you can tease, but not me?”

I giggled and leaned down to kiss him. “You got it.”

Nova chuckled and pushed against the floor. Lifting me up on his back, he stood up and gently wiggled until I slid up. He gently nudged me to foreleg’s length and said sadly, “Now that’s just not fair.”

“Come do something about it.” I gave a little purr, wiggling my hips at him with a giggle.

We both grinned and tackled each other, but Nova managed to pin me down this time. He set himself on top of me, pinning one of my wings down and softly licking the other. The minute he started this, both of my wings sprung out and became as stiff as boards.

“Well, what are you gonna do now? Looks like I’m calling the shots now.”

It was amazing how much Nova changed when we started doing stuff like this. Any other time he treated me like a queen, but once the door was locked and the curtains were closed, he got rough and rowdy… just the way I liked it.

“Oh really now?” Even with my wings the way they were, I was able to roll and start wrestling with him. His wings soon pomfed out as well after I started kissing his neck, but I was unable to resist basically diving on him as he started nibbling mine.

We continued to wrestle around on the floor for a good, long while. It finally ended when Nova had me pinned not only by my hooves, but with a kiss. Despite how many times we had done this, my face still got hotter than a wildfire whenever I felt… him touch me. Since it was clear I had lost the “wrestle”, I had no choice but to give Nova what he wanted. Of course, it was fine with me, seeing as I wanted it too.

I’m pretty sure we were up for over half the night. Nova and I had experimented with different things before, but this time we tried everything we had ever done in that one night. Regardless of where Nova was, it always seemed like every move he made was meant to go against my own motions, which resulted in unsurpassed pleasure on my end. He was even sweet enough to stay slow and gentle when we did more… painful things, but eventually I got used to it and basically demanded that he start getting rough again.

By the time we were both too exhausted to continue, we were both heaving and panting on the bed and complete messes… in more ways than one. To be honest, I was a little worried about how lenient I was with Nova in terms of… letting him finish. I let him stay inside quite a few times, but I was too mesmerized—and tired—to give that much thought.

The sun was started to come up as I stirred myself awake. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw Nova’s face before me, and I gently caressed his cheek as he slept. As I fidgeted around to get out without waking him, I realized that he was still hard. A quick peek under the blanket confirmed this, so I decided to give him a nice wake-up call with my tongue.

He slowly stirred and opened his eyes as well, jumping a little when he looked down.

I just winked at him and rubbed it against my cheek. “Didn’t mean to wake you.” Nova would never, ever one up me in terms of teasing.

Our little romp ended with another mess to clean up, and we showered together to save time. Yeah, to save time, that’s why we did it. I had no ulterior motives for bathing with Nova, really.

After we were both clean and dry, we got ourselves packed and ready to go. We arrived home a little later than we would have liked, but luckily, the both of us were fast enough to compensate for some of the lost time.

We had spent so much time messing around last night that we only got a few hours of sleep, so we both collapsed on the bed without even unpacking. I eagerly cuddled up against Nova, and he put his wings around me with a smile.

“You know, that night when we first did it, Overcast asked me what it was like.”

He smiled and pulled me a little closer. “Oh yeah? What did you say?”

“I told it her was amazing. You were so sweet and gentle… I could tell you wanted it to feel just as good for me as it did for you. I told her I was certain you were ‘the one’. To this day I’ve never once doubted that. I love you, Nova.”

His smile widened as his hold on me tightened just a bit. “I’m going to make sure you never do doubt it. I love you too, Spitfire.”

For the next few weeks, Nova and I spent our time training and getting prepared for the Wonderbolts’ induction ceremony that would be held at the beginning of next racing season. Soarin told us that it would be similar to a talent show, but much more extravagant. However, the group wasn’t just about racing, so they were still doing shows, and occasionally the higher ups would get called away on military matters. We wouldn’t be involved with that until we had the chance to prove that we could handle it, so Nova and I focused on our entertaining flying. However, something happened one day that completely destroyed our rhythm.

I had been feeling a bit off for the past few days, but as we were flying to the HQ’s practice field today, I started getting dizzy. Vertigo wasn’t even in my vocabulary up until this point, but I sure learned the definition. Luckily Nova was flying behind me and managed to catch me right as I slowed down and began to fall.

“Spitfire! Hey, open your eyes!” I could feel the air blowing rather briskly in my face, and once I managed to open my eyes, I saw that I was in the headquarters’ infirmary. Nova was using his wings to blow air in my face, but I reached up and pushed my hoof against his chest.

“I’m awake, Nova. Stop.”

He gently began to pet me, running his hoof along my head and neck. “You were out for at least thirty minutes. I was freaking out, Spitfire. The nurse couldn’t find anything immediately wrong with you, so I say we go to the doctor. Do you have any idea how worried I was? You know it takes a lot for me to panic, and I was freaking the hell out from the very moment you collapsed until now! And…”

I rolled my eyes and tried to stand up as he continued his rambling. After a few moments, I was able to stand on my own four hooves with ease. “Nova, you need to calm down, okay? We don’t need to see a doctor; I’m fine. Just a case of vertigo.”

Now Nova was the one rolling his eyes, though he did lower his voice and began taking deep breaths. “Spitfire, you’re a pegasus. You don’t get vertigo. Come on, we’re going to the doctor.”

He reached over and grabbed my shoulder, but I shook him off. “Nova, come on! I told you I’m fine. Just… I got a little dizzy, okay?”

My husband sighed and grabbed me again. “You got dizzy out of nowhere, and the nurse couldn’t find anything wrong. We need to see a doctor, Spitfire.”

It took a moment of thought for things to sink in. Once they did, I turned back to Nova and nodded slowly. "Yeah... maybe we should."

Nova didn't even let me fly on my own. Instead, he carried me all the way to the nearest hospital. It wasn't all that far away, but I couldn’t resist giving him a kiss on the cheek for being so sweet. We had to wait quite a bit, but once we were admitted, Nova was forced to wait outside. The doctor performed a few tests on me when I told him my story, and the ordeal ended in a confirmation of my husband's suspicions.

He was leaning against the wall when I came out. My mind was racing, and I was as close to being a literal hurricane of emotions as a pony could be. However, it was joy that came through as I threw my forelegs around Nova's shoulders and gave him the news.

"I'm pregnant!"

That left my husband speechless and wide-eyed as he stared at me. He opened his mouth a few times, but nothing came out. His wings were fluttering a little bit, his knees were shaking, and his ears had fallen flat. In fact, this reaction frightened me to a degree I didn’t know I could reach. There had been times where I wished that I could read his mind, but this was probably one of the moments where that desire was at its strongest. Eventually Nova closed his mouth and simply gazed at me.

The silence was unbearable now. “Nova, please say something! Anything will do, say something!”

After a moment, he grabbed a hold of me and pulled me into a deep kiss that must have set a world record for the world’s longest lip lock. When we finally broke, there was no emotion I could attach to the expression on Nova’s face. “Spitfire… are you happy?”

I honestly couldn’t answer him immediately, but I did nod after a few moments of thought. “I am, Nova. I really am. I’m not going to say it’s not scary, too… but I’m happy.”

A soft smile spread across Nova’s muzzle as he pulled me into a tight embrace and nuzzled my cheek “That’s all I needed to hear.”

Chapter 8: Happiness

What Might Have Been

Chapter 8: Happiness

By: SleeplessScribe

Nova and I were both ecstatic about my pregnancy, but it was a little disheartening to learn that I was now prohibited from flying very high or very far until I had the foal. This meant I wasn’t able to practice for the induction ceremony. My husband told me he wouldn’t practice either, but I pretty much forced him to continue and was content with watching him. I was also unable to participate in any races this season, since I was only five months in when racing season actually began.

Unfortunately, a few accidents postponed the induction ceremony for quite a while. I never did get good details on what happened, but the event landed five new recruits in the hospital. Some were worse off than others, but they were all out after another few months. Luckily, I was able to at least watch the induction ceremony, though I had to be helped by Gale and Overcast. I looked like I had swallowed a basketball at this point, and they were both giggling about it all the way to the Cloudiseum. Not only that, but I had been getting cramps as of late, so that didn’t make things any easier.

A list of absentees was called out prior to the ceremony, and I had to admit, it kind of hurt to hear my name on said list. One that was done, each recruit who made it came out in alphabetical order—which meant it would take a while for us to see Nova—came out to perform individual routines.

Gale had gotten so excited that she jumped out of her seat. I let my curiosity get the best of me as we watched, and I nudged Gale to get her back in her seat. “So Gale, you already know what the rest of us are doing, but what have you been up to lately?”

The mare puffed out her chest and flipped her mane. “You’re looking at the captain of the very first coed Katamar team!”

I couldn’t help but grin; Katamar was Gale’s favorite sport, so I shouldn’t have been surprised to find that she pursued a career with it.

Overcast giggled and clapped a little as well. “Oh yeah, I read about that in the newspaper! They didn’t give your name, but I should have known you were behind that!”

She flashed a grin at us and turned back to the arena. “Yeah, I didn’t want all the old timers coming at me with their canes because I brought the genders together for a sport that used to separate them.”

I nodded and returned my attention to the performances. Luckily for us, there weren’t too many new recruits, and not all of their names began with consecutive letters. I was starting to get my cramps again, and this time they were actually pretty bad. Sharp pains shot through my body like I was being stuck with needles everywhere. Both mares turned to me when they heard me groaning, but Gale—as usual—beat Overcast to… words.

“Spitfire, everything okay? If something’s wrong, let us know. We don’t need to be taking any chances right now, got it?”

“Y-yeah… I’m fine.” The cramps began to settle down after a little bit, and now the “M” names were starting to begin their performances. “Don’t worry about it; I’ll tell you if something feels off….”

They both nodded started watching the performances again. However, it wasn’t long before I started cramping up, and this time they were so severe that it was hard for me to move. My stomach contorted and I was brought to me knees. This time it felt like I was having nails hammered into me as opposed to little needles, I began sweating, and a much sharper pain made me yelp as I grabbed hold of Gale.

“We need to go! We need to go!”

She nodded and lifted me to my hooves. With one of my friends at each shoulder, they gave me enough support to where my hooves barely touched the ground. They rushed me to a carriage, and we were taken to the hospital immediately. The ride was a painful blur of turns, jolts, tears, and sweet, but futile, attempts at comfort. As soon as we arrived, my friends managed to support my weight again as they quickly carried me inside. We didn’t even have to say anything once the girls brought me to the receptionist at the counter; the minute she saw us, she called for a few nurses to pick me up on a stretcher and find me a room.

Some mares talk about how painful childbirth is, and I have to say… they’re absolutely right. Both of my friends were allowed to stay beside me as I was put on a bed and prepared for the labor. Sweet Celestia, the only thing I could compare that experience to was the pain one would experience by pulling their bottom lip over their head.

I was in there for hours just groaning and screaming, but my title of “Loudest Pony in the Hospital” was taken from me when we heard the pony equivalent of a bull in a ceramic store outside.

“Out of the way! Excuse me! Look out!” In moments, the door swung open and my husband rushed towards me, taking one of my hooves in his own and nuzzling my cheek. “Sorry I’m late. Soarin was watching you guys from the sidelines so he could tell me if anything happened. I bolted out of there as fast as I could, but I wasn’t allowed to leave until the ceremony was over.”

A loud groan prevented me from speaking, but I still managed to smile as he held my hoof. Just having Nova there made things much easier for me. Despite that, the hours dragged on, and I was still screaming. The sun had gone down quite a while ago, and as it began to rise again, it was finally time for the doctor to start saying: “Push.”

Of course, that didn’t make things any easier. However, what did make things easier was Soarin busting through the door. A few of the nurses began to reprimand him for coming in, but I waved them off. All of my best friends—a spouse is the best friend you’ll ever have—were here now, which made the process just a bit easier. It still hurt like hell, but their support helped me take my mind off of the fact that I was pushing a foal out of me.

Except for the fact that I wasn’t.

The pain slowly subsided as my cords were cut. Yes, cords. When the doctor had done all the cleaning and wrapping, he revealed two foals when he turned around. “Congratulations Spitfire, Nova. You have a healthy colt and a healthy filly.”

My jaw dropped as I was given both of them. Neither of them had colors that matched mine or Nova’s exactly, but they both had two tone manes—though it wouldn’t really be noticeable from afar until they were at least three—and light orange coats, but the filly’s colors were a bit closer to the yellow area of the color wheel than the colt’s.

Fortunately, the doctor had gotten them calmed down and asleep, despite them coming out bawling and screaming. I looked to my friends, and they were all crowding around to get a look at them. Tears began to blur my vision when I saw the ones in Nova’s eyes, and there was only one thing I could say.

“We did it….”

He smiled and kissed my forehead, gazing at the foals with lit up eyes. “Yeah, we did….”

It took me the rest of the day to regain my strength, so for the hour or two I was awake, Nova and I talked about names. We agreed that I would get to name the filly, and he would get to name the colt, and we must have been thinking along the same lines. He named the colt Ember, and I named the filly Cinder.

As soon as I was allowed to start walking around again, we all went to the nursery to check on them. The twins were sound asleep, adorably wrapped up in their little blankets. Anypony that knew me well would talk about how I hated appearing soft and girly, but my hard, badass exterior faded away when I was around my best friends, and it absolutely melted when I looked at the foals.

Parenthood, in some ways, was easier than I thought, and much harder in others. Being Wonderbolts didn’t make it any easier, but Nova and I managed to work out something with the higher ups that allowed us to take turns. One of us would attend to business with them, and the other would take care of the twins. Luckily, we had awesome friends and parents that were more than happy to help. In fact, when they started speaking, the twins referred to Gale and Overcast as aunts and to Soarin as an uncle.

Eventually Rainbow Dash got to meet the twins too, and she fell in love with them. She didn’t show it like I did, but I could tell. Things were good, and we were all happier than the mind could imagine. I said Nova made me the happiest mare in all of Equestria when he married me, but this was truly the highlight of my life. And it still isn’t over.

23 Years Old (Present)

To this day, being a mother is still the thing I am most proud of. Even with my dad naming me captain of the Wonderbolts after he retired, I can honestly say I love my husband and my kids more than my career. I have to admit, back when I first met him, I could have never imagined that Nova would be my husband, let alone that he would father our twins. Now, however, I thank Celestia for my life and all the blessings in it.

The twins are really starting to get active, and they both talk—albeit naïvely—about being Wonderbolts themselves. It’s so adorable to watch them fly around outside, pretending to be Nova and me. And of course, Nova is still a big, big part of my life. He makes everything easier to do and adds to the number of reasons to do them. I said that I couldn’t imagine marrying him way back when, and now I claim there’s no one I’d rather be with.

I’ve got the career of my dreams, a wonderful marriage—with its healthy share of arguments—and two beautiful foals with a not so healthy share of arguments. My life is a chore at times, but even if I could go back, I wouldn’t do anything differently.

Chapter 5: The Best Day

What Might Have Been

Chapter 5: The Best Day

By: SleeplessScribe

That wasn’t the last time Nova snuck into my room for some intimacy, and not once did we get caught. Two years later, we were still together, and we graduated from the academy at the top of the top. At the graduation ceremony, representatives of the Equestrian Association of Airborne Racing were all too eager to have us as part of the sport. Our careers as professional racers began immediately, and within a year, we had already acquired the necessary qualifications to move up from the Initial Circuit to the Professional Circuit.

Our timing couldn’t have been better, either. We entered the pro circuit right at the end of racing season, so we got to start right at the beginning. Not only that, but we learned that this year was a selection year, meaning that at the end of racing season, during the big Haytona 500, scouts from the Wonderbolts would be watching for potential members.

21 Years Old

The big race was still two days away, but almost all competitors had either booked hotels or owned homes near the racetrack. Ironically, the largest track in Equestria was not in Cloudsdale, but in a small little city south of Baltimare known as Haytona Beach. Coastal cities were amazing around this time of year, and the track was actually not that far from the ocean, so Nova and I decided to take full advantage of our time as lovers before the hour where we would set our feelings aside and devote everything we had to the race.

It was about ten in the morning when we finally got unpacked in our hotel room, so we took a look around to see what all this place had to offer. I was really surprised to find that the city wasn’t marked on most maps. Unfortunately, Haytona Beach didn’t have any smoothie places that were close by, but there were plenty of cafés.

No matter where I went, I always seemed to end up outside of a restaurant. We agreed on a place called The Roost, a café started by a pegasus that had outdoor tables. I mean, I’m not complaining, but it was just something I noticed. The place served coffees, teas, and various other drinks and sweets. The funny thing was that we had come for coffee, but ended up sharing a large milkshake instead.

We also got ourselves two small apple pies, and for once, one’s food wasn’t being teasingly poked into the other’s mouth. My coltfriend finally broke the silence with a yawn, followed by an actual attempt at conversation.

“So, Spitfire, you excited?”

I had to swallow a mouthful of pie before I could respond, but I’m pretty sure the answer was obvious. “Duh, of course I am! Not just because this is the biggest race of the year, but because the Wonderbolts are going to be watching. I think it’s safe to say both of us have a pretty good shot of getting in.”

He rolled his eyes and leaned forward to have a sip of the shake. “Well that’s a given. There’s no way they’d let us go! We’re the best in the biz, you know that.”

“No, I wouldn’t go that far. You’ve got to admit, there are quite a few good racers in our circuit. We’ve both lost our fair share of races, and it wasn’t for lack of effort or cockiness. The competition’s going to be intense.”

Nova stood up and puffed out his chest. “Bring it on, then! I’m ready!”

I couldn’t help but giggle as I pushed him back in his seat. “Calm down, hotshot. Don’t get in the competitive mindset just yet. As far as I’m concerned, you’re still my handsome hothead for two more days.”

With a giggle, I reached over, wrapped my forelegs around him, and pulled him close to me. “I trust you’ll still see me as your foxy firebrand until race day, right?”

He chuckled and kissed my forehead. “Of course I will, but… where do you get these names from?”

“I just make them up. Every time I do, I try to make them both sexy and cute. Sometimes it just falls flat on its face, I guess.”

I was treated to a soft nip on the ear before Nova returned to his pie. “It might. Sometimes. But other times, you pull it off pretty well.”

“Aww, how sweet.” With a smile, I leaned over and pressed my lips against his cheek.

“Hey, hey, hey! Look who I found, Overcast!”

That voice was unmistakable, and we both smiled as we looked up just in time to see Soarin fly overhead. Overcast touched down and seated herself beside me, pulling me into a big hug. “Hey there, Miss Superstar! Mister Hotshot! How’ve you two been?”

I returned her hug as Soarin touched down, doing his little hookfshake-brohoof… thing with Nova that they always did. “Things have been great! Our careers have skyrocketed in just a few years!”

Soarin chuckled and whipped around the table to sit beside Overcast. “Yeah, I noticed that. You two are doing very well, at least with the numbers. But you’ve got to remember that it takes more than just wins and points to be accepted by the Wonderbolts.”

Nova and I nodded as Overcast nudged Soarin’s elbow. “So, who’s telling them the good news?”

My coltfriend raised his brow and leaned forward. “What good news?”

The couple traded looks and turned to us. Wide, bright grins slowly began to spread across their faces as Overcast cleared her throat. “Well, Soarin and I have been doing a lot of work, and it finally paid off a week ago. Spitfire, Nova… I’m pregnant!”

Nova threw his hooves in the air and leaned back as if he was being blown by a strong wind. “Whooooooooooaaaaa! Are you serious? Well congratulations, you two!”

Soarin put one wing around Overcast and pulled her close to him. “With that being said, do you two have any big news about your relationship to tell us?”

I felt my face heat up just a little bit. Nova and I had been together for years now, but it was still a little embarrassing to hear the subject brought up out loud. I looked over to him, but he had his head turned away from me.

“Eh, nothing too special. Things are going great, and we’re really happy together, though.” Nova then leaned back until his head was in my lap. “Though, now that we’re on the subject, she is pretty great in bed.”

He winked at me and stuck his tongue out, but jumped up the minute I conked him on the head. “Sorry, babe, I can’t help it. I’m just too sexy not to be good.”

Now I had my tongue out, and all three of them started laughing. After a few moments, I was right there with them. Seeing those two again was the perfect thing to help me relax before the big day. Not to mention the fact that I was treated to some… “tender love” both that night and the following one. Both days flew by faster than I imagined, and before I knew it Nova and I were approaching Haytona Speedway.

All racers were required to have a company that sponsored them, and their uniforms had to reflect that. Nova was clad in black with a big white number three on both of his wings; the Goodwrench Repair Company logo on his back and sides was a steel color that glimmered in the sun. I was fortunate enough to get a sponsor from Sapphire Sounds, so I wore blue and white, with white number fives in front of black vinyl records. We looked ridiculous when we walked together like this, but we both wanted to take advantage of every second we had together before the race would separate us for that long hour.

Nova nudged me as we approached the competitor’s entrance. “This is it, princess. I expect nothing less than your best, you hear me?”

I couldn’t help but smile as we shared a quick kiss. “I better not see you slacking, either. It’s like Soarin said: winning isn’t everything.”

He chuckled and put his wing around me as we entered. “I guess that’s true. Besides, we’re living together, so the trophy will belong to both of us regardless of who comes in first.”

“Assuming one of us does win.”

Nova chuckled again and nudged me with his muzzle. “I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

I rolled my eyes, gently pushing him aside. “Whatever. Just don’t hold back. As far as I’m concerned, for the next hour, you’re just another competitor.”

He smiled as we parted ways and headed to our respective places on the track. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

It took a few more minutes for all the racers to find their places. Once all were present, we went through the normal routine of reciting the Equestrian Pledge of Allegiance, and Sapphire Shores herself sang the National Anthem. After she was through, everyone began to cheer and scream when it was announced that Princess Celestia would be issuing the starting command. The screaming only got louder as the princess approached the microphone. With a proud smile and a strong voice, she looked out at all of us, and then to the audience before giving us our order.

“Racers! Spread! Your! Wings!”

The sounds of ruffling feathers drowned out everything around me until all wings were open and spread out wide. I spotted Nova in seventh place from where I was in ninth, and I couldn’t help but shiver a little from the excitement. Once the flag above us was lowered, a sound like thunder echoed through the air as we all took off.

“The competition’s going to be intense.” My own words looped over and over in my head when I realized all the pegasi around me were managing to either keep up with me or get ahead.

A problem I soon ran into was the turns: the track was much more elliptic than it was circular, and the turns were rather sharp. They weren’t exactly one-eighties or anything, but I had to adjust myself quite a bit to avoid slamming right into the wall. I managed to narrowly avoid it, but one poor soul couldn’t quite pull it off. A part of me wanted to look back just to see who got hurt, but I knew better than that and concentrated on bobbing and weaving through the other racers. I spotted Nova as we approached the second turn and grinned. He was being smart and inching his way closer to the inner wall of the track, which gave him much more time to compensate for the turn. A lot of the other racers were doing this as well, which prompted me to make getting closer to the center my priority as well.

Another great thing about these tracks was the space. Competitors had plenty of room to roll and flip should the need arise, and I found myself doing that many times to avoid slamming into someone else. I also loved the fans of this sport; there was never a moment where the cheering and excited shouts died down, and I even heard a few names being called out. In fact, I heard mine once or twice, which really boosted my confidence. Both Nova and I had entered first place and lost it a few times. Right now I was in third, and he was in fourth with two colts in front of us battling it out for first. My adrenaline was rushing and my heart was beating faster than it ever had before… unless the time Nova first kissed me counts. I was closing the gap between them and me, but as I soon found myself thanking Celestia I wasn’t right on their tails.

Once one of the stallions finally got ahead of the other one, and he did a barrel roll at the turn. As he did that, his hoof smacked the guy behind him in the face and sent him tumbling backwards. He was headed straight towards the inner wall, but before I could do anything, Nova was already behind him. He put all of his strength into trying to redirect them both, but still ended up hitting his back against the wall. I was half tempted to go help, but I reminded myself that Nova would probably be furious with me if I had done that.

One of the emergency responders flew over to see if they were alright, and I assumed the blow to the head had knocked out the pony whose name I later found out was Thunderlane. Nova, however, was far too stubborn to let himself recover and jumped back into the race. At this point he was already three laps behind, and even though he managed to catch up with me after I had taken first place, we completed the final lap before he could make up the laps he had lost. Of course, I was still screaming and hollering when I heard my name called out for first place, and I heard not only Nova’s, but Soarin’s as well.

We all had to go one more lap around the track in order to slow down, and I made my way to victory lane where a bottle of champagne and a large trophy cup was waiting for me. Not only that, but my father also waiting for me, dressed in his Wonderbolts uniform. My eyes lit up and widened when I saw him, and I completely ignored both the champagne and trophy as I ran up to him with open wings. He let out a hardy laugh as I threw my wings and forelegs around him.

“That’s my girl! I told the suits you’d take this track just like all the others!”

I looked at him and took a deep breath, chills running up and down my spine. “Wait, are you saying what I think you—”

“No, no, not yet. Our scouts were keeping an eye on you, though, and your coltfriend too. It was pretty admirable of Nova to give up his place to keep that kid from crashing. He takes after his dad.”

I wanted to say more, but we were interrupted by incredibly loud chatter as dozens and dozens of ponies with microphones, cameras, and notepads approached me. Dad nudged me towards the trophy with a smile. “Go on, this is your time right now.”

There were way too many questions being thrown at me all at once, so I decided to go for the bottle as quickly as I could. Once I was sure it was ready, I popped the cork and let it rain. Everyone started cheering for me and screamed even louder as Princess Celestia approached me. I don’t think that bright smile on her face ever went away. In fact, she seemed even more joyful than she was at the start of the race.

“Congratulations, Spitfire! This trophy is yours, as is the title of this year’s Sprint Cup Champion!”

Those who were standing on all fours began stomping, and those in the audience clapped nonstop. However, all fell silent when a voice rang out through the air.

“That’s not all!”

I let out a small gasp when I saw Nova worming his way through the crowd. All those with cameras began snapping pictures as he approached the stage, but I was most focused on his curled up left wing.

“Nova! Are you alright? W-what’s wrong with your wing? Let me see—”

He pressed his hoof against my lips to quiet me. “I’m really glad one of us won this race, because I don’t know how I would have done this if we hadn’t. Spitfire, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and now that you’ve won the Haytona 500 and are sure to be accepted into the Wonderbolts, I’d like to add one more thing to the list of things that made this the best day of your life.”

Now everyone, even the princess, let out a small gasp as Nova kneeled down and unfolded his wing, revealing a wide, black box he then opened before me. Inside was a golden chain with a turquoise pendant, and it took all the strength I had to hold back my tears when I heard those words.

“Spitfire, will you marry me?”

To be honest, I really wanted to turn around and see the look on my father’s face, but I couldn’t resist jumping on Nova and giving him as many kisses in as many places on his face as I could. “Yes! Yes! Yes, Nova, I will!”

The crowd let out a loud “Aww” and immediately began snapping pictures of the two of us. My father came over and waved them all off before bringing us both into his embrace.

“I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t see this coming. Since I’m being honest, I’ll also say that I don’t think there’s any stallion I’d rather see my daughter with.”

My eyes lit up as I turned back to him. “Daddy… you really mean that? No words of wisdom, no warning, no nothing?”

He chuckled and helped us both to our hooves. “No, not this time. I know Nova’s mother and father quite well, and if he’s anything like his father, I know you’re in good care. Besides, you got a good raising, I’m sure you know better than to let him push you around. Not that he will, right?”

Dad winked at both of us, receiving a nod from my new fiancé. “I’d never dream of it, sir. And… thanks for not giving me a hard time.”

“Nova, my daughter is happy. I could never give you a hard time about that. Now, I hate to just up and leave, but I am still rather busy, so I need to get back to HQ as soon as I can. Congratulations on both of your wins, sweetheart.”

I waved at him as he took off, still cuddled up against Nova. “Bye daddy! Thank you!” Once he was out of sight, I turned back to Nova and pressed my lips against his, holding them there for as long as I could. “This really is the best day of my life, Nova. Thank you so much.”